Broken Hip Lawsuit Filed Against Nursing Home in Michigan

Our Michigan nursing home lawyers recently filed a lawsuit against a Mount Pleasant skilled nursing facility for failing on behalf of a resident who suffered serious injuries due to a fall at the nursing home. The eighty-seven year old resident was a fall risk based upon a previous fall and then fell a second time in the hallway. He landed and suffered a fractured hip which required a major surgery by an orthopedic surgeon.

The nursing home neglect lawsuit alleges that the nursing was negligent for failing to implement a fall prevention plan for the resident based upon his previous fall and other medical conditions. He had fallen at the same facility just nine days earlier. He was not properly assisted with walking at the time of the incident.

According to the Center for Disease Control www.cdc.org, falls among the elderly are a substantial health concern in the United States. Hip fractures are serious fall injuries that often result in long-term functional impairment, nursing home admission and increased mortality. The statistics certainly bear out this issue, especially with respect to hip fractures.

•In 2007, there were 281,000 hospital admissions for hip fractures among people age 65 and older.2 •Over 90% of hip fractures are caused by falling, most often by falling sideways onto the hip. •In 1990, researchers estimated that by the year 2040, the number of hip fractures would exceed 500,000.5 However, since 2000, the annual number of hip fractures has remained relatively constant. •From 1990 to 2006, hip fracture rates declined significantly in men age 85 and older and in women age 75 and older.6 It is not known what factors are contributing to this trend. •In 1991, Medicare costs for hip fractures were estimated to be $2.9 billion. That number has most definitely increased substantially in the last twenty-one years.

The present lawsuit requests damages for the pain and suffering caused by the fall, the surgery, and the subsequent period of recovery. Damages are also sought for medical bills and other expenses arising out of the fall. No trial date has been set by the court.